Japanese writing systems for German readers

The idea

German uses an alphabet with letters such as ä, ö, ü, ß. Japanese combines sound-based kana with kanji, whose readings are learned in words and context. A single sentence can contain all three scripts. Hiragana normally represents Japanese sound units. The 46 basic signs include vowels, consonant–vowel combinations and ん; small signs and marks make further sounds. Hiragana also writes particles and verb endings alongside kanji, such as を and ます. The chart pairs five signs with their katakana counterparts. Katakana represents the same sound system as hiragana. It commonly writes loanwords, many foreign names and sometimes words for emphasis. In コーヒー, each ー lengthens the preceding vowel; compare the kana pairs in the chart before reading the examples.

Examples

• 先生せんせいはバスで来きます。The teacher comes by bus.
• 妹いもうとはパンを食たべます。My younger sister eats bread.
• このノートは私わたしのです。This notebook is mine.
• 青あおいペンで名前なまえを書かきます。I write my name with a blue pen.
• テレビで日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうします。I study Japanese on television.
• 朝あさ、コーヒーを飲のみます。I drink coffee in the morning.
• 犬いぬと公園こうえんへ行いきます。I go to the park with my dog.

Watch out

A character does not always sound as its usual chart reading: the topic particle は is pronounced wa. Read particles in context rather than assuming every は is ha. Katakana is a script, not a promise that a loanword sounds or means exactly like its source. Keep both long marks in コーヒー; a missing mark changes the timing.

Try it yourself

1. Write the hiragana counterpart of ア.

   Show answer or example answer

   あ

   ア and あ represent the same sound, a; あ is the hiragana form requested.

2. Complete か＿ (umbrella) with one hiragana character.

   Show answer or example answer

   さ

   かさ means umbrella; さ completes its spelling.

3. Write the katakana counterpart of あ.

   Show answer or example answer

   ア

   あ and ア represent the same sound, a; ア is the katakana form requested.

4. Complete コー＿ー (coffee) with one katakana character.

   Show answer or example answer

   ヒ

   コーヒー means coffee; ヒ completes its spelling.

Use it today

Cover the chart. Read two words from the examples aloud, write their readings in kana from memory, then compare them with the furigana and chart.